This story probes the complex erotic and emotional relationship that might develop between a childless couple and a young lady that has never had a warm, loving relationship with a mother and father. Each has the ability to give the other what they desperately need.
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"Darling, I'm home!" Robert yelled as he swung the front door shut.
"In here," Meg called out, directing her husband to the kitchen where she and Heather were chatting, while waiting for him to get home from the contract signing.
Robert and Megan Evers are an attractive couple. Robert is in his late forties; Meg, just turning a very attractive thirty-five. She's tall and lithe, keeping her dark hair short to help her look older; the way many women do when they are in a loving marriage to a more mature man.
As well as being attractive, they're well connected at the law school and within the community. Robert holds tenure, as well as helping clients who are among some of the most influential players in the area and Meg is an integral part of the team; always looking exquisite and ready to handle any occasion requiring her attention.
Like many young debutants, Meg was raised to be an asset to her future marriage. From the time she was a young girl her mother had spent countless hours instructing her on the art of entertaining; including how to present both herself and her husband. By the time she turned eighteen she was very "finished" as her mother liked to say.
Her attraction to Robert is a very natural evolution of her upbringing; as she was expected to fall in love with a more mature man that could provide her the pleasures of life that her mother, as well as her grandmother before her, had enjoyed.
"Oh, hello Heather. I didn't know if you'd be over today," Robert said as he entered the kitchen.
"Good afternoon, Mr. Evers," she responded politely. She always addressed Robert this way when he arrived home from work. Meg had told her it conveyed respect for the master of the house; like in olden times when a king entered his castle. It was one of the Evers's rules; and they had many. Heather didn't mind. In fact, she enjoyed it.
The Evers household was structured and predictable. Along with it came a sense of comfort and security. Heather thrived in the atmosphere the Evers home provided. Robert and Meg held a warm and enduring affection for her and she could feel it each time she walked into their home. Making her follow the rules of the household only served to reinforce the warmth and caring she felt.
"I hope you don't mind me coming over after school every day. We're working on my latest lesson. Mom is showing me how to flirt with men," she giggled and looked up and down several times. "I never thought it would be this hard. There's so much to learn!"
"That's quite alright, young lady. You know how much we enjoy you," he replied and winked at Meg.
"I know," she replied. "I feel like this is my home now. I don't even like going ho...," her voice cracked with emotion. "I only go home because he makes me. He gets mad and yells at me if I'm gone too long."
Heather's birth mother and father had moved into the neighborhood before she was born and purchased a nice home at the end of the block. Unfortunately, Heather's mother succumbed to cancer when she was only a year old. After her death, things turned for the worst and the house she grew up in; the once beautiful house at the end of the street, steadily and quite sadly fell into disarray. The paint faded, needed repairs went undone and the once immaculate landscaping gave way to the neglect, barely meeting the neighborhood's standards.
Since her mother's death, she had been raised by her father, who never remarried and unfortunately seemed to have a date with a bottle of whiskey each night. He was different than before. He seemed to not care much about anything, including his young daughter, and he brought all the problems of his addiction into his daughter's life. Included were the emotional problems of depression, moodiness, selfishness, and temper. The very real-world problems were present as well. Missing work turned in to missing paychecks, turning into missing deadlines for paying bills and Heather having to do without school clothes and activities.
She was embarrassed to bring her friends over and because of it she never cultivated relationships with the other girls. She created a world unto herself; a world all alone in her room. She never went out after school. She never went on dates with boys. She didn't have any after-school friends.
At least he kept her clothed, albeit humbly. Heather made sure she attended enough school to keep passing grades. But it was at best maintaining the status quo. She needed so much more if she was to become a proper young lady in society.
The Evers moved into a house down the street from Heather when she was nine years old and watched her run wild about the neighborhood, seemingly without parental guidance. But, beneath all the dirt and shoddy clothes there was something that caught their eye and they cultivated a friendship with her. As she grew older the friendship grew, and the trust between them grew and she would often stop by their home and say hello.
And, eventually Meg made sure to be outside when Heather walked by after school so they could chat, even if only briefly; as if she felt a need to acknowledge their connection.
The Evers could sense a good and tender heart inside her. They knew this intelligent and beautiful young girl deserved much better than she was getting and they convinced themselves to do something about it.
She had never had the benefit of a mother and father in a loving relationship to model behavior for her. The Evers were convinced Heather needed the kind of nurturing and finishing Meg had been provided if she was to thrive in the real world. And, they were determined she was going to get it.
Almost two years had now passed since they had talked Heather's father into letting them take over responsibility for her education. At that time, Heather was still sixteen and a first semester junior in high school. It didn't take much for Meg to convince Robert they should speak with Heather's father about the situation.
Robert readily agreed and set up a meeting with Heather's father. They met with him late one afternoon; the three of them talking at the dining room table with Heather nervously listening from around the corner. Robert and Meg hadn't discussed their proposal with her beforehand, as they thought it would be inappropriate before they talked with her father.
The Evers explained their proposal to Heather's father. Meg held a degree in education. She would provide Heather the finishing education every successful young debutant needs. At the conclusion of her studies she would be prepared for every conceivable social situation. She would never find herself feeling inadequate or out of place when she was away at college. Meg detailed for Heather's father the curriculum and course-work that would be utilized. She outlined the challenges Heather would face and the goals she would be required to accept.
At the end of their explanation, Heather's father poured himself another drink from a cheap bottle of whiskey and pondered the offer. He took a long slow drink. After setting the glass onto the table in front of him he covered his face with his hands. "I'm not sending her to college," he said. "When she finishes high school, she's on her own."
Out of sight around the corner, Heather's shoulders dropped. She leaned back against the wall and lowered her head in disappointment. She had always assumed she would go to a university like the other girls at school. "Don't I deserve it?" she asked herself. She wanted to scream, "I make good grades and I don't get into any trouble." But, she held her tongue.
She knew better than to show her anger around him. He would respond with a higher level of anger than she held and Heather knew what that would mean. He would be angry enough to hit her. After that, he would pout and ignore her for days; as if she wasn't even his daughter. It's hard on a sixteen year-old girl when she has to be a mother to her own drunken father. It wasn't fair and she often found herself wondering why she couldn't just be a young lady, excited about her life, like every other healthy sixteen year old.
The Evers had already discussed this possibility and were prepared for it. Robert told him that if Heather successfully completed her studies and continued to make good grades in school they would take care of the cost of her college; tuition, room and board, books, clothing, everything.
Heather couldn't believe what she was hearing. She stood up straight, crossed her fingers and whispered anxiously, "Please say yes. Please say yes!"
The answer didn't come quickly. At first, it was all about how he didn't need their charity and who did they think they were to try to take over her upbringing. But, he wasn't going to let his pride get in the way of shirking his responsibilities and after a long talk, Robert convinced him to let Meg spend as much time with her as needed.
Heather looked straight up at the ceiling, pumped one arm and shouted a silent "Yes!"
Meg and Robert were delighted by his decision. After a few more minutes of discussion Heather's father called her downstairs to give her the news; at which time she ran halfway up the stairs and then back down, pretending not to know anything of the conversation. Once he told her, she was free to let her emotions go. Heather jumped up and down screaming with glee; gushing promises to both the Evers and her father about how proud of her they would all be!
A year and eight months had gone by since that night. Heather was now eighteen and had graduated from high-school in May. Her studies had gone very well. Meg had provided her the finishing any debutante would envy. With Meg, she had studied the traditional arts of painting, singing, dance and photography. Meg had provided her instruction far beyond what she had received in her high school on politics, history, government and religion. Heather had even completed lessons on anthropology, natural history, psychology and sociology.
Only recently had their studies shifted to the more subtle and difficult aspects of relationships between men and women. Today had been a continuation in her lessons on the art of flirting and Meg was very proud of her young pupil, praising her with compliments as Robert took a seat in the living room. "She's learned quite a lot today, Robert," Meg told him as she sat a martini down on the coffee table in front of him.
"Why don't you come over here and sit with me," Robert said to Heather, patting the sofa next to him.
Heather looked once toward Meg, and then walked to him; her tartan skirt bouncing off her hips with each step. She had been required to wear her schoolgirl uniforms all through middle and high-school and one of the Evers rules was that she wear her uniform during her lessons with Meg.
She hated having to wear them at first; "It's a stupid rule," she thought. But, she came to enjoy wearing them. Especially since Robert and Meg often complimented her on how pretty she looked in them. It was that way with all of their rules. They were for her own good and she learned to like them.
Even though it was summer break, and she had already graduated, she continued wearing the same uniforms for her lessons with Meg; tartan skirt, white blouse, stockings and shoes with a heel. Because she now had a woman's figure she made a few changes, all with Meg's approval, of course.
